Apparatus for separating and grading fibers.



F. S. J. BROONIE.

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AND GRADING FIBERS.

APPUCATION FILED AUG.22, l9|l.

Patented NOV.. 28, 1916.

3 SHEETSf'SHEET l.

I". S. I. BROOIIJIE.

APPARATUS FOII SEPARATING AND GRADING FIBERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.22, I9II afm Q7 LQ 1 "M I f e da amm/w70 3SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. S. I. BROGIVIE.

US FOR SEPARATING AND GRADING FIBERS.

APPARAT APPLICATION FILED AUG-22, I9II.

Patented Nov., 28, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mr Num-15 crans m,raum-umonwsmxumv. u c

FREDERICK SAMUEL JAMES BRGCME, OF MATLOCK, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FR SEPARATING AND GRADING FIBERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Non. 28, itlt.

Application filed August 22, 1911. Serial No. 645,462.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, FREDERICK SAMUEL ,latinsBnoorrn, spinner, a subject of the King of the United Kingdom of GreatBritain and ireland, and resident of' Rockside HydropathicEstablishment, Matlock, in the county of Derby, England, have in Ventednew and useful Improvements in and V.anpaiatus for Separating andGrading Fibers, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for separating and grading fibers,to be used in the treatment of fibrous materials con` taining mixturesofstrong or coarse and fine fibers or mixtures of fiber of' differentlengths of staple forthe purpose of separating and grading the fibersthe strong or coarse from the fine and the fine from the long and longerfrom shorter fibers or in other ways desirable in different cases, Whichapparatus makes it possible to separate and grade fibers in the dierentWays desirable, in a simple, convenient and efficient manner notheretofore attained.

According to this invention the separation and grading of fibers areeffected by means of a carding engine which is furnished and used withappliances and auxiliary apparatus hereinafter to be described and set'forth in the claims, whereby there is eected a discharge of fiber fromthe carding engine into an air-current whereby the discharged fibers areconveyed to a place of settlement in which, as the air current loses itsvelocity the different grades of fibers are degosited at differentdistances from the carding engine according to their characteristics andaccording to the degree of neness or shortness of' the fiber, While thedofi'er and doffing comb of the carding engine remove from the cardingengine any ber not discharged into the air current. To discharge berfrom the carding engine a roller is disposedin such a Way and driven atsuch a speed and in such a manner that it removes the longer, strongeror coarser fibers from the cylinder' and by centrifugal action andusually also by the projecting fibers being allowed to strike againstthe edge of a plate, generally adjustable, discharges the fibers soremoved by vit through an opening extending in its Width across vthecarding engine throughout the Whole length of the roller and provided inthe casing of the carding engine in proximity to the roller and to theadjustable plate if used. rlhis opening communicates with a Wide trunkWhich extends across the Whole Width ofthe opening and is provided Withan opening for the inlet of air and leads to a settling space. A currentof air is maintained by appropriate means through the trunk into thesettling space and controlled in accordance 'with the material undertreatment as by adjustment of the opening for the inlet of air and theVelocity of the means for causing the air current. The fibers as theyare discharged by the roller are drawn or car ried by the air currentthrough the trunk and into the settling space Where they are allowed tosettle and the fibers most ready to settle as by being longer orstronger or both settle nearest l to the carding engine and those lessready to settle as by being finer or shorter or both are deposited inthe settling space at different distances from the carding engineaccording to their characteristics and the degree 'of fineness orshortness of the fiber so that fibers may be collected in differentgrades or sorts from different parts of the settling space. The materialremaining in the clothing of the cylinder is removed much in the usualWay of carding by means of a doffer and dofiing comb and if necessary ordesirable may be treated again in like manner either in the same cardingengine or another or others until the necessary or desirable degree ofseparation is attained. The material deposited in any part of thesettling space may also be again subjected to treatment in the samecarding engine or another or others until the separation of fibers ofdifferent kinds has been carried to the degree necessary or desirable.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a diagrammatic longitudinalvertical section of a. carding engine used according to this invention.Fig. is partial side elevation of one side of the carding engine and thetwo settling chambers. Fig. 3 is a par* tial side elevation of the otherside of the carding engine. Fig. i is a front View drawn on a larger saile, of a roller adjusting device and Fig. 5 is a. side View thereofpartly in section on the line A A of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side view andFig. 7 a vertical section on the line B-B of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a sidevien1 and Fig. 9 a vertical section on the line C-G of Fig. 8. Fig. 10is a side view, Fig. 11 a vertical section on the line D-D of Fig. 10and Fig. 12 a plan of a detail. Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a detail,and Fig. 1% a vertical section on the line Fi-E of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is aside view of a detail and Fig. 16 a vertical section on the line F--F ofFig. 15.

In the case illustrated a roll-er and clearer carding engine is used andthe removal of fibers from the cylinder for discharge into air currentfor separation and grading is effected at two places and the dolferremoves from the cylinder the liber not discharged into air current.

1n the drawing, a is the cylinder, I) is the taker-in-roller, c is thedirt roller, l l are worker rollers, e e are clearers, is the doier andg g are calender rollers. el lthese are mounted and used in the ordinarymanner and driven by ordina-ry means. The card surfaces of the cylindera., dirt roller 0 worker rollers cl, clearer rollers e and doffer f,though represented diagrammatically as formed of straight wires, landthe card surface of the taker-in-roller Z) are of ordinary form.

L, a' are rollers provided for the purpose of this invention, j, le aretrunks adjacent to the openings in the carding engine casing p throughwhich the liber removed from the cylinder a by means of the rollers L,z' respectively is to be discharged. r1`he openings adjacent to therollers z' for the discharge of fiber are equal in width to the wholelength of the rollers 7L, a' respectively used with them and the trunksj extend across the whole width of the openings with which they arerespectively employed. The trunks y' 7c receive the liber discharged bythe rollers iz, and conduct it to the settling space which may be aspace or chamber or spaces or chambers for each trunk or for both andeither divided into compartments or otherwise and in connection with anexhaust fan or other means by which a current of air through the trunksinto the settling space may be caused. T he trunks j le are incoinmunication with chambers e z respectively which are in communicationby trunks 23, 24: respectively with a trunk leading to an exhaust fan26. ln the case of the chamber e, partitions i7, 28, 29 of differentheight are Vindicated by dotted lines as provided to divide the lowerpart of the chamber z into compartments. Doors 30 are provided at theends of the chambers e, e to allow of access for the removal of thefiber from the lower parts of the chambers e, e. Z, m are plates madeadjustable by the provision of slots and bolts and provided to eifect orto aid in the removal of' `fibers from the rollers h, z'

respectively. nis a clearer roller used with the roller lz.. T hedirections of revolution of the cylinder a., taker-in-roller Z), dirtroller o, workers d, clearers'e, doifer f, rollers i, t'

and clearer n are all clearly indicated by f arrows in Fig. 1.

rThe rollers L, z', a are mounted by means of brackets 1, each formed intwo parts 1, 1". The part 1a of each bracket 1 is fitted to bear againstribs 2, 3, L1- on the adjacent bend 5 of the carding engine and isprovided with a projecting seating G to bear on the adjacent rib 2 andis made with a` hole to receive a bolt 7 passed through a slot 8 in suchbend 5. rEhe part 1b of each bracket 1 is made with a slot 9 to receivethe bolt 7 corresponding te such bracket 1 and is iitted with a screwedshank 10 which passes freely through a projection on the part 1 and isfurnished with nuts 12, 13.

rlhe slots 8 in the bends 5 allow the bolts 7 and brackets l to beadjusted for a short distance in a direction around the circumference ofthe carding engine cylinder a. The slots 9 enable the parts 1b to beadjusted in a direction radial to the axis of the carding enginecylinder a. rl`he nuts 12, 18 serve both for effecting and lixing theradial adjustment of the parts 1" and the nuts 14 of the bolts 7 aid insecuring the parts 1a, 1b together and secure the parts 1, 1b of theseveral brackets 1 in position upon the bends 5 of the carding engine.

1n the case of the brackets 1 carrying the rollers It, n, a screw 15capable of turning in one bracket 1 and engaging screw-threads in thenext is provided for adjusting and se* curing the adjustment relativelyto one another of the rollers L, a.

A band 13 passing over pulleys All, L15 connected to the rollers 7L, arespectively and around a pulley 4G on the shaft l? of the cardingengine cylinder a and a band +116 passing over a pulley 19 connected tothe roller e and around the pulley #le are provided to drive the rollers71. z' n.

The roller fr is covered with card wire oi' ordinary form extendingacross and disposed so as to work point to heel relatively to that ofthe cylinder a and is set with its card surface as close as possible tothe card surface of the cylinder a but not engaging therewith and isdriven at a surface speed greater than that of the cylinder.

The clearer n is provided with card wire of ordinary form extendingacross and disposed so as to work point to point relatively to that ofthe roller It and is set so that its card-surface is close to but doesnot engage the card surface of the roller zl and just engages thecard-surface of the cylinder a and is driven so as to have a surfacespeed less than those of the roller 7L and cylinder a.

The roller a' is covered with card-wire of ordinary form extendingacross and disposed so as t work heel to heel relatively to and toengage with that of the cylinder c and is driven at a surface speedgreater than that of the cylinder a.

rlhe adjustable plates Z m used with the rollers ZL e' respectively maybe mounted in any convenient way so as to be adjustable toward and awayfrom the card-surfaces of the rollers it z' respectively.

rlhe plate Z used With the roller h is provided with Hanges or brackets16 with slots 17 so that it may be secured by bolts 18 to the lower partof the trunk j and may be adjusted relatively to the roller ZL. Theplate m used with the roller z' is provided with flanges or brackets 19secured by bolts Q0 to brackets o secured by bolts 31 to part of thecasing p of the upper part of the carding engine. Slots 21 are providedin the brackets o to allow the plate m to be adjusted relatively to thebrackets 0 and slots 22 are provided in the brackets 0 to allow suchbrackets o and the plate m to be adjusted relatively to the easing y) sothat the plate m may be adjusted in any direction relatively to theroller e'.

An adjustable plate g is provided to eX- tend from the casing 72 nearlyto the clearer'- roller n so as to hinder the clearer roller a fromthrowing liber carried by it into the trunk The plate Q is provided withears 32 hai/'ing slots 83 for the passage of bolts 34 passed throughholes in brackets r provided with slots 35 for the passage of bolts 3Gby which they are secured to the casing p.

The trunks j, 7c may be constructed in any convenient way as for exampleot' sheet metal and be provided with doors or openings, two marked s, tbeing shown, at convenient places to enable such trunks y' 7c to oecleaned whenever cleaning may be necessary and are each connected at oneend to the casing j) of the carding engine in any convenient way, as forexample by being made as to their sides as extensions of the sides ofsuch casing 7J.

@penings u, o extending throughout the width of the trunks '7' 7crespectively and adjustable in width by means of plates w, a; withflanges 37, 38 with slots 39, 40 respectively for the passage of bolts41, 42 resaectively connectingl them to the hinged parts s t of thetrunks j 7c respectively are provided in order that air to form thecurrents along the trunks j, Zt' may be drawn as much as is readilypossible directly .from the room in which the carding engine is employedand not from the interior of the yasing p. The slots 39, 40 and bolts4l, l2 allow oi1 the adjustment of the plates w, ai.

rlhe settling space to which the trunks y' L are made to lead may beformed in any way convenient whether formed as separate spaces orchambers for each trunk or to serve for use with both and the currentsof air through the trunks le may be induced by means of fans for each erone fan for both or in any other way convenient in any case and anyprovision for access to the settling space or chamber or spaces orchambers either with or without the stoppage of the carding engine andalso any provision for the separation of dust or fiber from the airissuing from such settling space or chainber or spaces or chambers maybe provided as may be necessary or desirable in any case.

The casing p for the upper part of the carding engine is necessarily alittle different from that employed in ordinary carding engines but maybe of any convenient construction, that in the case illustrated beingprovided with lids or doors y, for allowing access to the workers (Z andclearers e and to the dirt roller c.

in order that air may be prevented. as much as possible from flowinginto the trunks 7' 7c `from the interior of the casing at parts otherthan those at which fiber to be discharged into such trunks j Zc by therollers Zt z', the lower sides of the trunks j 1 are made to extendclose to the card surface of the cylinder t and transverse partitions1*, 2* are provided in the interior of the casing 7) between the rollersz', a and the adjacent -workers CZ and clearers o.

In the working' of the apparatus illustrated fiber being supplied to thetaker-inroller b as in the ordinary way of carding will be acted upon asin the ordinary way of carding` by means of the taker-in-roller Z), thecylinder a, the dirt roller c and the first worker CZ and clearer e.Then the liber upon the cylinder a being carried in proximity to theroller 71 the roller Zz, will lift from it any fiber lying on orprojecting from the surface, chiefly longer or stronger fibers and theseexcept for theportions which extend from the card surface oii the rollerZz so far as to be caught bythe clearer a and thus to be restored to thecard surface of the cylinder fr. will be carried by the roller ZL pastthe clearer n and some will be thrown by centrifugal action into thetrunk j and some will be beaten oli by Contact with the plate Z and becarried by the current oi air along the trunk j. All the ber enteringthe trunk 7' will be carried along by the aircurrent into the settlingspace or chamber or spaces or chambers with which the trunk j isconnected. and as the velocity of the current becomes reduced in suchspace or chamber or spaces or chambers the libersot` differentcharacteristics will settle sooner or later accordingto their greater orless density and their smaller or greater surface in proportion to theirweight or other features enabling'them to fall more or less easily inair. The libere carried by the cylinder a past the roller h will beacted upon by the Workers Z and clearers c at the upper part of thecylinder a in the ordinary Way of carding and eventually be carried inproximity to the roller 'el Whose card surface entering that of thecylinder a Will brush out therefrom the portion of the liber lyingnearest the surface of the card surface of the cylinder a and throw outsuch portion of Aiiber into the trunk l either by centrifugal. action orby bringing it against the plate m While the shorter and finer liberremaining on the cylinder a is carried past the roller z' and removedfrom the cylinder a by the action of the doffer f in the ordinary way ofcarding. As in the case of the iiber thrown or draivn into the trunk jso the i'iber thrown into the trunk 7c Will be carried along by the aircurrent therein into the settling` space or chamber or spaces orchambers to which such trunk 7@ is connected and as the velocity of thecurrent becomes reduced in such space or chamber or spaces orchainbersthe fibers of different characteristics ivill settle therein sooner orlater and so at dii/ferent distances from the carding engine accordingto their greater or less density and their smaller or greater surface inrelation to their weight or other features enabling them to fall more orless easily in air.

rPhe fiber removed from the cylinder a by the doffer f may be passedagain through the carding engine if this be desirable for a furtherseparation of fibers therefrom in a manner similar to that hereinbeforedescribed.

The separation of different kinds of fibers in the settling space orchamber or spaces or chambers connected with the trunks y' 7c may bemade in any convenient Way as by the provision of partitions in theloiver parts of such space or chamber or spaces or chambers or by theseparate removal of fiber from diii'erent larger or smaller parts ofsuch space or chamber or spaces or chambers according to the discretionof operatives removingfrom time to time the accumulation of fiber fromsuch space er chamber or spaces orchambers.

By changes being made in the position of the plates Z m and rollers 7i in and in the relative speeds of the rollers 7i` z' n as may be founddesirable on trial with any particular mixture of fibers the cardiiigengine illustrated may be adjusted in order to obtain any desirableseparation of fiber from the mixture of fibers supplied to it.

The doors g/ e* and hinged parts s t allow of access necessary from timeto time to the parts Within the casing p.

Obviously the casing and other details of a cardingengine used for thepurpose of this invention may be disposed in different Ways as may bedesirable in dierent cases. Ina roller and clearer carding engine theroller for the separation and discharge of fiber according to thisinvention may be one of the ordinary rollers ot the caiding engineeither a worker roller or the fancy roller or a roller provided for thepurpose oi this n invention and used with or without a clearer roller.

rlhe material to be operated upon may be supplied to the cylinder of thecarding cngiiie in any convenient Way.

lt is generally desirable to employ a clearer with the liberdischarging` roller in any case in Which the material to be operatedupon is of a light fluliiy nature or contains a large proportion of lineliber.

The clearer should work prefe `ably point to point but may in some casesWork point to heel relatively to the fiber discharging roller.

The liber discharging roller is generally made to overrun the cylinderto an extent to be determined in accordance with the nature of thematerial being operated upon. The liber discharging roller may ivorkpoint to heel relatively to the cylinder and in this case it should beset as closely as possible to the cylinder but not so as to engagethereivith and a clearer should be used or such liber discharging rollermay Work heel to heel relatively to the cylinder and in that vcase itshould be set so that the points ol the Wire thereon slightly engage thepoints of the Wire of the cylinder and in that case a clearer may or maynot be used. It is preferable to provide means for increasing orreducing` the speed of the roller relatively to that of the cylinder.

lf a clearer roller be used the liber discharging roller may in somecases be made to revolve with a surface-speed less than that of thecylinder and in any such case the striking of the iibers against theplate will ordinarily be the only means of removing the strong fibersfrom such liber discharging roller.

Air may be forced or drawn through the trunk as may be desirable in anyease.

rllhe plate aforesaid which when adjustable may be made to slide or tobe adjusted in any other convenient manner, is provided with an edge orangle of suitable character or adapted to be adjusted in inclination asmay be desirable in accordance ivith the material to be treated and theproportion of the material intended to be discharged from the casing ofthe carding engine by the roller employed for the purpose of thisinvention.

As may be desirable in different cases a single roller and trunk leadingto a settling space or chamber or spaces or chambers or tivo, as in thecase illustrated. or a greater number of rollers Working with one trunkor each Working in connection with one of tivo or more trunks andchambers or series rjaoaaoa m of chambers lile that hereinbet'oredescribed may be provided at diiierent parts of a carding engine.

The ian or other means for causing a current of air may be made todischarge air rom the chamber or chambers provided as aforesaid into orthrough any suitable device for arresting or efiecting the depositionoii dust and lightber or other matter in suspension in the airdescribed.

1f desirable in any case two or more rollers provided and employedaccording to this invention may be made to work in connection with onetrunk to convey fibers to a chamber or chambers.

A carding engine with flats fixed or revolving may be employed accordingto this invention if it be provided with a roller or rollers to workalong with a trunk and chamber or chambers in the manner hereinbeforedescribed in discharging bers through the casing of the cylinder, and inthe case of a carding engine with two or more cylinders either one ormore or each cylinder may be provided with a roller or rollers workingwith a trunk and chamber or chambers in the manner hereinbeforedescribed.

Fur may be mentioned as one among other fibrous materials which may betreated according to this invention.

ln the application of this invention by means of a carding engine withfixed or re volving flats some pulley or pulleys or other means must beprovided for driving the roller or rollers provided for the purpose or"this invention.

fha-t l do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:-

1. Apparatus for separating and grading fibers comprising acarding-engine with a cylinder, means for effecting preliminary carding,and a casing and a roller within the casing in proximity to the cylinderto remove fiber therefrom and an opening in the casing in proximity tothe roller extending in width throughout the length of such roller,means for driving the roller, a trunk which extends across the wholewidth of and is in connection with the said opening and has adjacent tosuch opening an opening extending across its whole width for theentrance of air from without the carding engine casing, settling spacein connection with the said trunk for allowing diminution of thevelocity of an air-current entering it and the deposit of differentfibers in diiiierent parts and means for causing a current of airthrough the trunk into the settling space independently of the action ofthe roller, substantially as hereinbefore described.

2. Apparatus for separating and grading bers comprising a carding enginewith a cylinder, means for eecting preliminary carding. and a casing anda roller within the casing in proximity to the cylinder to remove fibertherefrom and an opening in the casing in proximity to the rollerextending in width throughout the length of such roller, means fordriving the roller, a plate iixed adjacent to such roller and opening, atrunk which extends across the ywhole width of and is in connection withsuch opening and has adjacent to such opening an opening extendingacross its whole width for the entrance of air from without the cardingengine casing, settling space in connection with the said trunk forallowing diminution of" the velocity oi an air current entering it andthe deposit of dillerent fibers in different parts and means for causinga current oix air through the trunk into the settling spaceindependently of the action of the roller, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed.

3. pparatus for separating and grading fibers comprising a cardingengine with a cylinder, means for effecting preliminary carding, and acasing and a plurality of rollers within the casing in proximity to thecylinder to remove fiber therefrom and an opening in the casing inproximity to each such roller extending in width throughout the lengthof such roller, means for driving the rollers, a trunk. which extendsacross the whole width of and is in connection with said openings andhas adjacent to each such opening an opening extending across its wholewidth for the entrance of air from without the casing of the cardingengine., settling space in connection with the said trunk for allowingdiminution of the velocity of an air-current entering it and the depositof different fibers in different parts and means for causing a currentoit air through the trunk i nto the settling space independently of theaction of the rollers, substantially as hereinbefore described.

4. Apparatus for separating and grading fibers comprising a cardingengine with a cylinder, means for effecting preliminary carding,- and acasing and a plurality of rollers within the casing in proximity to thecylinder to remove fiber therefrom and an opening in the casing inproximity to each roller extending throughout the length of such roller,means for driving the rollers, a plurality of trunks each of whichextends across the whole width of and is in connection with one of saidopenings and has adjacent to such opening with which it is in connectionan opening extending across its whole width for the entrance of air fromwithout the carding engine casing, settling spaces each in connectionwith one of the said trunks for allowing diminution of the velocity ofan air-current enteringit and the `deposit of dierent fibers indifferent parts and means for causing a current of air through eachtrunk into the corresponding settling space independently of the actionof the rollers, substantially as hereinbefore described.

5. Apparatus for separating and grading fibers comprising a cardingengine with a cylinder,` means for effecting preliminary carding, and acasing and a plurality of rollers Within the casing in proximity to thecylinder to remove fiber therefrom and an opening in the' casing inproximity to each roller and extending in Width throughout the length ofsuch roller, means for driving the rollers, plates iixed. adjacent tosuch rollers and the openings adjacent to them, a plurality ot' trunkseach of which extends across the Whole Width of and is in connectionwith one of said openings and has adjacent to the opening With which itis connected an opening extending across its Whole width for theentrance of air from Without the earding engine casing, settling spacein connection with the said trunks for allowing diminution of theVelocity of aircurrent entering it and the deposit of different fibersin diiferent parts and means for causing currents of air through thetrunks into the settling space independently of the action of therollers, substantially as hereinbefore described.

6. Apparatus for separating and grading bers comprising a carding enginewith a cylinder, means for eiecting preliminary carding, and a casingand a plurality of rollers Within the casing in proximity to thecylinder to remove liber therefrom and an opening in the casing inproximity to each such roller extending in Width throughout the lengthof such roller, means for driving the rollers, a plurality of trunkseach of which extends across the Whole Width of and is in communicationwith openings in proximity to rollers and has adjacent to each openingin connection with it an opening for the entrance ol' air from Withoutthe carding engine casing', settling space in connection with the saidtrunks for allowing diminution of the velocity oi an air-currententeringit and the deposit ol' different bers in different parts andmeans for causing a current of air through each of the trunks into thesettling space independently of the action ol the rollers, substantiallyas hereinbetore described.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two Witnesses, this eleventh day of August, 1911.

FREDERICK SAMUEL JAMES BROOME.

Witnesses:

HOWARD @Henri-IAM, RUTH M. WILSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

